Lifting apparatus



Dec. 26, 1933. F ACKERMAN LIFTING APPARATUS Filed June 29, 1931 Patented Dec. 26, 1933 I i f V Frank Ackerman, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Curtis Manufacturing Company, Wellston, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application June 29, 1931. Serial No. 547,529

1 Claim. (01. 25493) This invention relates to hydraulic elevators hence, my apparatus is a'decided improvement and automobile lifts of the kind that comprise a on the lifting apparatus disclosed in'the Milliken relatively long platform or chassis engaging strucpatent, previously referred to. In the operation ture carried by a vertically-disposed reciprocatof lowering a vehicle the platform cants or tilts 5 ing piston or plunger. sufiiciently relatively to the piston, after one pair co In one type of lifting apparatus of the general of wheels of the vehicle have come in contact with character above referred to, the platform is rigidthe ground, to prevent the unequal load on the 1y attached to the upper end of the piston, and in platform causing the piston to'be subjected to an another type of such lifting apparatus, the platexcessive side strain, resulting in the piston bindform is pivotally mounted or rockably mounted ing in its cylinder. {35 on the piston, so as to permit the platform to tilt Figure 1 of the drawing is a vertical sectional or cant without causing any side strain on the pisview of a lifting apparatus constructed in acton, as illustrated and described in U. S. Patent cordance-with my present invention.

No. 243,391, to William H. Milliken, dated June Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on 28, 1881. the line 2--2 of Figure 1. 70

My invention relates to lifting apparatus of the In F gu 1 0 the d w A de ate a Ver-' general type or design described in said Milliken tically-disposed cylinder set in the ground, in patent, and has for its main object to eliminate a floor or'in a y Other Suitable base, and p i undue tetering, rocking or tilting of the platform vided with a vertically-movab piston B t relatively to the piston, and maintain the platis a p d to b moved pw and downward- 76 form in a substantially level or horizontal po- 3' 50 as to raise d l w a lead Sustained y 'sition when the piston is being raised and lowered. th pist A p t or upp t st u ture I have hereinillustrated my invention embodied C of any preferred design Construction, is in a lifting apparatus of the type commonly re-' mounted p the upper end 0f the piston ferred to as an automobile lift, that is intended f t e app tu s i d d to be u d primarily '80 to be used for sustaining a vehicle in an elevated e Sustaining a Vehicle in an elevated position position while the chassis of the vehicleis being 3 While t ha s f v h is being i spected inspected or worked on, andwhich comprises a Worked O the Pl Will be p d at relatively long platformor chassis engaging struc- One end With a Suitable axle suppertihg means v ture designed to be engaged by an automobile that adapted to (IO-Operate withohe axle of 85 eration of raising a vehicle, in the eventthe axle chassis at a plurality of widely separated points, Vehicle h is to be raised, p v d d at and mounted on the upper end of a verticallyits pp end With a Suitable veiXle Supporting movable piston, a resilient means such as a spring means that is eAlepted t0 p a W th the or springs being used to prevent undue tetering of rear axle of t e. j

35 the platform and tend to hold the platform in a I T Platform C is meuhtedvoh the piston 13 90 level position. in such a manner that said platform is capable In my improved lifting apparatus the platform of eehting, tilting c ng slight y ativ y or'supporting structure of the apparatus will cant to t piston, under certain t ns, and or tilt slightly relatively to the. piston, in the op-' springs or anequivalent m ans is combined with supporting means t; one d of the platform to restore the platform to its normal or approxiengages it gQ- perafing l before t other mately normal position and prevent it from teteraxle supporting means at the opposite end of h rocking unduly durin t e Vertical moves the platform has engaged its axle, thereby'effec merit of the p p tively preventing the piston from being sub- In the form O invention herein illustrated 1'00 jected to a thrust tending to cause it to bind in the Pi B is vide 'a its pp end W th an its cylindeiyand the resilient means or equivalent -p i h Spindle extension B2 that means that is used to prevent undue tetering of is capable of rocking S y a assuming an the platform, will restore or tend to restore the lar position W h relation t the p and platform to its normal horizontal, or level posithe a o m. 0 is rigidly connected to Said htion after both axles of the vehicle have been endie extension In Order O the p gaged by the axle supports on the platform. .form, maintain it in a substantially horizontal During the continued upward movement of the or level position and prevent it from tetering durpiston the said means effectively prevents the ing the majorportion of the stroke of the piston, platform from tetering or rocking unduly, and in either direction, as previously explained, the

said piston and-platform so as to restore or tend 95 rockable or shiftable spindle B at the upper end Having thus described my invention, what i of the piston B is provided at its lower end with claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pata head piece B that carries springs E and E arranged in front of and. at the rear of the axis of movement of said spindle, and disposed so that they will bear against the inner surface of the side wall of theportion of the piston in which said spindle is positioned, said springs being of such tension as to permit the platform to tilt or rock relatively to the piston under certain conditions, but to restore and normally maintain the platform in a level or substantially level position.

ent is:

A lifting apparatus, comprising a verticallymovable piston arranged in a cylinder, a spindle or extension at the upper end of said piston mounted so that it is capable of a slight rocking or tilting movement relatively to the piston, a

resilient means for opposing such rocking or tilting movement of the spindle, and a platform rigidly connected to said spindle.

FRANK ACKERMAN. 

